Europe is a great place. But it's Europeans who make it special.
Whether we live in the south or the north, under the sunshine of Spain’s Canary Islands or among the forests of Finland, we Europeans are constantly at work to make our societies better and our economies more prosperous. And the European Union is there by our side each day in a very concrete way, providing expertise and investment. The EIB Group plays an important part in this effort, serving citizens and backing enterprises that make our cities and regions so vibrant.
Supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is one of the priorities of the EIB Group. We do this by lending directly to companies, but most of the time, we work closely with intermediary financial institutions in every corner of Europe. Whether it’s commercial banks, leasing companies, investment funds or national promotional banks, those financial institutions are rooted in the local economies and develop long-standing relations with European entrepreneurs, helping them grow and create jobs.
By partnering with those local intermediaries, the EIB Group makes sure that SMEs and mid-caps, as well as micro-enterprises and start-ups, have access to affordable and long-term financing for their projects. Intermediary financial institutions are the indispensable partners of the EIB Group in their lending to European entrepreneurs. You can learn about some of them in the articles and videos on this page.
Our partners in action